Author Archives: Guest Blogger
The meadows of Transylvania – a biodiversity hotspot
Dr Barbara Knowles FSB, Senior Science Policy Adviser at the Society of Biology, devotes much of her time to preserving Transylvania’s hay meadows. Dr Laura Bellingan FSB, Head of Policy at the Society of Biology, visited her recently and has written about her experience: If I’m asked to think of biodiversity hot-spots worthy of conservation, wilderness … Continue reading
Species of the Week: It’s not a twig, but an Archimantis Latistyla
Sara Dawkins is an active nanny as well as an active freelance writer. There are a variety of mantid subspecies currently residing on the planet Earth. While some may have a frog-like look to them, others blend into their background increasing their efficiency for hunting. Archimantis latistyla is one such mantis that is plentiful in … Continue reading
World Forum on Natural Capital: valuing ecosystems
Guest post by Caroline Vevers, Event Manager at the World Forum on Natural Capital, where the Society of Biology‘s Natural Capital Initiative special interest group is organising two sessions. Against a backdrop of increasing international interest in how we value the economic benefits we derive from our natural environment, business leaders, policy makers and sustainability … Continue reading
The H5N1 influenza controversy: information is power, sharing information is powerful
By Professor Wendy Barclay, Chair in Influenza Virology, Imperial College London. Wendy spoke at last week’s Society of Biology Policy Lates debate on dual-use bioscience. The debate is summarised in a Storify. H5N1 is a worrisome strain of bird flu that currently does not spread between us because of the ‘species barrier’ created by virus-host … Continue reading
Sometimes opposites attract: science and security communities can work well together
By Dr Piers Millet, Deputy Head, UN Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit. Piers will be speaking at this Thursdays’ Policy Lates debate on dual-use bioscience (#policylates). I guess I am living embodiment that the title of this article is true. I trained originally as a microbiologist and am still a Chartered member of the … Continue reading
The role of codes of conduct in the amateur biology community
By Dr Catherine Jefferson, freelance consultant on bioweapons policy and researcher at the Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King’s College London. Catherine will be a member of the panel at next week’s Society of Biology Policy Lates debate about biosecurity. Codes are established to guide acceptable standards of behaviour and their importance as … Continue reading
Looking Good – the value of beauty in science
Guest blog by Anthony Lewis, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, who discusses the importance of aesthetics to scientific research. Science is about hard, cold facts, right? Data laid out in black and white, the information speaks for itself, no frills or fancies needed. Who would want distracting colours, eye-catching graphics, and big photographs cluttering up our … Continue reading
“Sorry James, this is not my cup of tea”
Guest post by Dr James Revill, Research Fellow with the Harvard Sussex Program, SPRU, University of Sussex. The issues raised in James’ post will be discussed at our ‘Bioscience to Bioweapons’ Policy Lates event next Thursday, and on Twitter with the hashtag #PolicyLates. The strategic use of disease in warfare has been subject to a long … Continue reading
Not by good intentions alone
Guest post by Tatyana Novossiolova, a Wellcome Trust doctoral candidate studying the governance of biotechnology in post-communist Russia at the Division of Peace Studies, University of Bradford. The issues raised in Tatyana’s post will be discussed at our ‘Bioscience to Bioweapons’ Policy Lates event next Thursday. In May this year, Science reported the creation of … Continue reading
Species Of The Week: The Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
Guest Post by Marcela De Vivo, a freelance writer from Southern California whose writing specialises in health, technology, travel and marketing. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter. They’ve been by our side for the better part of the past 33,000 years—that’s right, new research shows that dogs were most likely first domesticated way … Continue reading